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BOOT CAMP TRAINING IN DISGUISE
{author unknown}
Dear Ma and Pa,
I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother
Elmer the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch
by a mile. Tell Them to join up quick before all of the
places are filled. I was restless at first because you
get to stay in bed till nearly 6 a..m. But I am getting
so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do
before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some
things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix,
wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing. Men
got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water.
Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice,
cereal, eggs, Bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops,
potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, Pie and other
regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit
by the to city boys that live on coffee. Their food,
plus yours, holds you until Noon when you get fed
again.
It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much. We go
on 'route marches,' which the Platoon Sergeant says are
long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my
place to tell him different. A 'route march' is about
as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys
get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.
The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot.
The Captain is like the school board. Majors and
colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother
you none.
This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I
keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why.
The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and
don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the
Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there
all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your
own cartridges They come in boxes.
Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat
training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I
have to be real Careful though, they break real easy.
It ain't like fighting with that ole bull At home. I'm
about the best they got in this except for that Tug
Jordan from over in Silver Lake .. I only beat him
once.. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only
5'6' and 130 pounds and he's 6'8' and near 300 pounds
dry.
Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before
other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding
in.
Your loving daughter,
Alice |
